LIF2022-萬變世代．不變使命

LOGOS INTERNATIONAL FORUM – 7TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE – MAY 14, 2022  
A peer learning forum for Christian academics & professionals
  

Vision & Mission   LIF began in 2015 to develop a HK-based network of Christian academics and professionals with a vision for faith-learning integration to engage society and culture and contribute to a moral and intellectual order in contemporary Chinese and Asian context for the common good of our generation.                               more …

Context & Call    We are living through unexpected and unprecedented challenges.  But we are assured that the Lord of history is working out his redemptive purpose.  And we are committed to faith, hope and love as we serve our generation with compassion, wisdom, courage and humility.          more …
  

LIF 2022 PROGRAM

Joint Opening Session for all 4 Tracks – 9:30-9:40
“Serving Our Generation in Changing Times”

Business & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40
“Faith & Leadership in a World With Unprecedented Changes”
Mr. Scott Yeh, Dr. Ricky Szeto, Dr. K.C. Chew, Mr. Sunny Wong, Mr. Brett Johnson          more …
  
Mental Health & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

Global Pandemic: Mental Health Crisis and the Human Condition 
Prof. Michael TH Wong, Dr. Ronald Chen                                                         

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 
Prof. George Hsu                                                                           more …

Social Sciences, Education & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

Project Change:  Reflection on Serving Young People in Difficult Times 
Dr. Pauline Sung, Prof. Yun Wing Sung, Mr. John Mok, Dr. Alex Chan

Evidence-based Interventions for Reducing Childhood Aggression & School Bullying 
Dr. Annis Fung, Dr. Anna Hui                            more …

Science, Religion & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

The Surprising Things That Models Don’t Tell Us 
Dr. Mike Brownnutt 

The Origin of Humanity & Evolution: Science & Scripture in Conversation
Dr. Andrew Loke, Rev. Vincent Chan                        more …

Joint Closing Session for all 4 Tracks – 9:30-9:40
Summary Reports from 4 Tracks

Vision & Mission

Vision LIF began in 2015 to develop a HK-based network of Christian academics and professionals with a vision for faith-learning integration to engage society and culture.

Mission  To meet the challenge of our times, Christians need to thoughtfully articulate the biblical worldview as we contribute to a moral and intellectual order in contemporary Chinese and Asian context for the common good of this generation.

Objective  Local faculty development is our objective. We need a united witness in academia.  With integrity, compassion, humility and boldness, we seek to demonstrate that our faith and values are relevant to contemporary issues.

Distinctive  LIF will not try to offer “standard” and “politically correct” answers to complex questions in our time.  As speakers and responders explore difficult issues in peer learning forums, they grow through reflection and interaction.

Our World With rapid socioeconomic changes and postmodernism impacting all spheres of life, Greater China and Asia are facing issues that challenge the resources of their traditional philosophies and religions.  We strive for prayerful scholarship and intelligent faith to meet the needs of our time.

Our Prayer Faculty members from diverse academic backgrounds make up the LIF committees at seven HK campuses. We hope to become a prayer movement as it is not by might, nor by power, academic credentials or diligent networking that we could accomplish spiritual impact.

Context & Call

The Context
LIF 2015 began with faculty members from seven HK institutions who organized several parallel tracks for in-depth exchange among those in different disciplines.  The event brought Christian colleagues from the Mainland and Taiwan to join them.

LIF 2019 celebrated the centenary of the May 4th Movement.  But LIF 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19.  When we resumed in 2021, the theme was “Faith & Vocation in a Time of Transition” as HK tried to recover from social unrest and wrestled with the pandemic new normal.   The conference went online for the first time, and we welcomed participants from several countries outside of HK.  

2022, as the pandemic continues and Hong Kong adjusts to ongoing sociopolitical changes, the world is rocked by the Russian war on Ukraine that has created the fastest-growing refugee crisis since WWII.  Grave global economic impact and escalating east-west confrontation can be expected in the days ahead.  The poor in the world will suffer the most.

The Call
We are living through unexpected and unprecedented challenges.  But despite the chaos,  uncertainties, sufferings, wars and pestilences in our time, we are assured that the Lord of history is working out his redemptive purpose.  With Mt 24:1-14 as the anchor of our worldview, we persevere in our calling to serve our generation.

The world will continue to change in drastic and unexpected ways.  But we are committed to faith, hope and love as we serve our generation with compassion, wisdom, courage and humility with all that we have received from God in our education and professional training.   

Business & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40
“Faith & Leadership in a World With Unprecedented Changes”
Mr. Scott Yeh, Dr. Ricky Szeto, Dr. K.C. Chew, Mr. Sunny Wong, Mr. Brett Johnson

From Surviving to Thriving – Mr. Scott Yeh

Changes and uncertainties are inevitable in the world.  A leader must therefore be able to adapt and innovate.  Beyond dealing with what is urgent, a leader needs to develop a team that is capable of achieving sustainable development of the organization.  We will explore the making of such a leader in terms of vision, attitude, intellect and ability to execute.

從掙扎求存到繁榮昌盛 
如果領導者所面對的改變和不確定性是必然，那麼具有變革性和適應性的領導力就成為必須。領導者的責任不單只是解決一時的燃眉之急，而是要帶出一個團隊永續發展的能力。為了承擔這樣的責任，提高領導力的效能，我們將從領導者的眼光，心態，思維，以及具體實踐等方面來進行探索。

Scott started his career as CPA at a Big Four accounting firm in Chicago before he joined a multinational company that placed him in Hong Kong and then Shanghai for 15 years, in addition to his assignments in the U.S. The leadership roles he has served include financial controller, regional general manager, and VP of human resources.  Upon retirement from the corporate world a few years ago, Scott completed an M.A. in Global Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary.  He is also a certified trainer for John Maxwell’s Leadership Program.  Scott received his B.S. in Business from National Taiwan University and MBA from University of Chicago.  He currently serves on the board of Professional & Educational Services International.

Crisis or Opportunity – Dr. Ricky Szeto

If we just look at the chaos around us, we will only see crisis. Most organizations are set up for people to report problems, and therefore focus on the past—what has already happened. Leaders need to look out the window to see opportunities in the future.  They should ask: “If there is an opportunity for us, what will it be?”  Then they will know how to implement changes.  "To every leader there is a season."  Leaders need to embrace challenge to see opportunities. 

Ricky joined Hung Fook Tong Group Holdings Limited in 1999 and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. He is a Professor of Practice in the School of Accounting & Finance of HK Polytechnic University.  In public service, Ricky serves on HK Tourism Board Advisory Committee, Social Welfare Advisory Committee and Industry Training Advisory Committee.  He is also member of the Executive Committee of HK Retail Management Association and Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of HK Society for Rehabilitation.  In ministry, he serves as the Chairman of Hong Kong Professional &  Educational Service (HKPES) and Vice-Chairman of HK Church Network For The Poor. 

Servant Leadership: The Essential Leadership Paradigm to Leading Post Pandemic Organizations – Dr. K.C. Chew
The business environment in the post-pandemic era is full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). For example, many office workers have little interest in going back to the physical office and continue to do things traditionally. Also, workers’ attitude toward the life-work balance has become a priority for many. Recent research by Microsoft showed that 41% of the workforce is considering leaving their employer in 2021. According to the U.S. Labor Department, 4 million people quit their jobs in April 2021, starting the trend of “Great Resignation.” 

The VUCA environment challenges the traditional leadership paradigm and demands that leaders seek a new orientation to lead today’s organizations. It takes a fresh approach to leadership to guarantee positive results under changed circumstances. In this presentation, I advocate that the Biblical-based Servant Leadership paradigm is the essential leadership paradigm for leading today’s business organizations. 

KC is Board Chairman of Gravitas Securities Inc. (Toronto) and MBA STEM Program Director of Notre Dame de Namur University (USA). He is also the Master of Leadership Development program advisor for Malaysia Bible College (Malaysia).

He has more than 30 years of experience in the Financial Services industry and extensive consulting experience in the US, Canada, China, and other countries. He is the former Program Director and Quality Assurance Coordinator of Trinity Western University’s MA program in Leadership (Business Stream – taught in Chinese). 

Practicing Our Faith in Business – Mr. Sunny Wong

Life stories to illustrate the importance of (1) disclosing our Christian identity in business settings; (2) the challenge of practicing Christian love in management; and (3) commitment to serving society

Sunny is Director of Rise Counselling Service Ltd. He was the Executive Director of Tibet Water Resources Ltd. from 2014 to 2019. He was the CEO of Carlsberg Greater China from 2006 to 2011 and Chairman from 2011 to 2014.

He started his leadership with Carlsberg from a single plant and grew the business into 60 breweries with a workforce of 15,000. He turned the operation into one of the most profitable business units in Carlsberg worldwide.

Sunny has got 40 years’ working experience in the FMCG industry of which mainly in China beer market.

Sunny graduated from Hong Kong Baptist College (now Hong Kong Baptist University) in 1978 and received MBA (full time) degree from University of Bath, UK in 2001. He is the chairman of HKBU Foundation Alumni Committee of HKBU.

Sunny is currently adjunct professor of Hong Kong Baptist University and Hong Kong Hang Seng University.

LEMON Leadership for Changing Times – Mr. Brett Johnson (info pending)

Mental Health & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

Global Pandemic: Mental Health Crisis and the Human Condition 
keynote – Prof. Michael TH Wong 
response – Dr. Ronald Chen

The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a global mental health crisis, reminds us of the reality of the human condition and brings us into close encounters with fundamental issues such as life and death, pain and suffering. This pandemic challenges the values and beliefs held in this secular age of science and technology about health, happiness, and meaning.  The Christian narrative about who we are helps us go beyond the biopsychosocial discourse of humanity and provides a whole-person understanding of health and wellbeing 

Professor Michael TH Wong is Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, and Head & Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Neuropsychiatry Program, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.

Professor Wong is trained in neuropsychiatry, philosophy and theology. He is Chair, Section of Philosophy & Humanities in Psychiatry, World Psychiatric Association and Senior Editor of the journal Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology. His current research focuses on Youth Neuropsychiatry, values-based practice, and person-centred medicine. 

Professor Wong is author of Ricoeur and the Third Discourse of the Person: From Philosophy and Neuroscience to Psychiatry and Theology (Lexington Books, 2018) and co-editor of International Perspectives in Values-Based Mental Health Practice: Case Studies & Commentaries (Springer Nature, 2021).

Dr Ronald Chen is a psychiatrist in private practice – BSc (Biomed Sc); MBBS(HK); MRCPsych(UK); FHKCPsych; FHKAM (Psych); MCS (Spirituality)

PTSD is a disorder best understood from a holistic viewpoint including biological, psychological and spiritual perspectives. The talk will discuss each perspective briefly and encourage Christians to equip themselves with a holistic viewpoint so they can rise to the challenge of caring for those with PTSD.  

George Hsu, MD, FRCPsych.   Dr. Hsu was born in Hong Kong and became a born-again Christian in 1960.  Almost immediately afterwards he was expelled from his high school because of his evangelistic activities which the high school authorities deemed contrary to their liberal beliefs at that time.  In 1968 he graduated MBBS from the Hong Kong University Faculty of Medicine. Having become convinced that he must put his faith into practice, he entered the field of academic psychiatry where no Chinese Christian had ever previously ventured. He completed his residency training in London, and for his research in Anorexia Nervosa he was awarded an MD in 1979. While in London he benefited deeply from the mentoring of the late Rev. John Stott as he struggled to integrate his faith with academic psychiatry. In 1980 he went to the University of Pittsburgh and in 1993 he moved to Boston to become Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine, a position he has since held. Dr Hsu has published over 130 academic articles and book chapters and is the author or co-author of 4 textbooks. He has received several U.S. federal grants for research into the eating and weight disorders.  He has also served on many research-grant review panels at the National Institutes of Health. He has been Visiting Professor at Hong Kong University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tongii Medical College in Wuhan, and Huaxi Medical College in Chengdu. In 1993 he was elected one of 300 Best Psychiatrists in the USA by Good Housekeeping Magazine. In 1997, he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists of the United Kingdom. Dr Hsu is an Elder at the Chinese Gospel Church (CGCM) in Southborough, Massachusetts. 

Social Sciences, Education & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

Project Change:  Reflection on Serving Young People in Difficult Times 
keynote:  Dr. Pauline Sung, Prof. Yun Wing Sung, Mr. John Mok
response:  Dr. Alex Chan

We are a multi-disciplinary team financially independent from the government; and we seek to provide comprehensive psychological counseling and legal support to arrested youths in Hong Kong’s anti-extradition movement.

Our vision is a Hong Kong where each and every arrested youth is provided with timely psychological counseling, adequate information about the alternatives to conviction or imprisonment, and have their circumstances, backgrounds, and motivations duly taken into account in sentencing, such that they can receive the best and most appropriate final case disposals.

Our mission is to provide comprehensive and de-politicized support and counseling for arrested youths and their families so as to aid them in overcoming and weathering the predicaments wrought upon them by the social movement.

The presentation aims to reflect on our learning gained from implementing the Project Change since June 15, 2020.  As of today, we have served more than 200 cases of which 90 young people and over 120 family members/social networks.

Prof. Pauline Sung received her Doctor of Philosophy from University of Nottingham, England. Currently, she is the founding director of the Citizen Action Design Limited (a policy think tank). Since February 2020, she has served as an honorary associate professor of the Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy. She is a research investigator at the Prevention Research Center of Washington University in St Louis, USA.

Prof. Sung-Chan had served two years at the Institute for Public Policy of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as an adjunct associate professor from 2017 to 2019. She had been a visiting Professor at the School of Medicine of Tongji University, Shanghai, China from 2015 to 2018. She had been an Associate Professor at Department of Applied Social Sciences of Hong Kong Polytechnic University from 1994 to 2015. Her other high-level appointments include: Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University -Peking University Social Work Research Center, Fulbright Senior Research Scholar of Washington University in St Louis (2011-2012), USA, and visiting scholar at Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prof. Sung-Chan has been actively involved in promoting social work development and social work education in mainland China since the early 1990. She had played a pivotal role in developing the first Master of Social Work program in mainland China in collaboration with the Department of Sociology at Peking University to offer a training of the trainer’s program. She was appointed as the founding director for the MSW program from the cohort of 2002 to 2003.

Since 2012, Prof. Sung Chan has conducted several innovative public health research studies with cross discipline research team to promote and implement scientific research in Mainland China and Hong Kong. She has collaborated with various organizations including the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, and Jockey Club School of Public Health of Hong Kong Chinese University. Her most recent groundbreaking research has been a cross-university and cross-discipline research on promoting social mobility through an evidence-based e-parenting program. This Early Childhood Investment Initiative (2017-2020) is first of its kind in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Her research interest includes organisational learning and transformation, action research, social mobility, adolescent obesity, adolescent mental health, families in Transition in Mainland China, professional education effectiveness, and cross-country evidence-based research.

Dr. Yun-wing Sung (Ph.D. in Economics, University of Minnesota, 1979) was Chairman of the Economics Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for 17 years (1995 – 2012). He is currently adjunct Professor of the Department, Associate Director of the Joint Shanghai – Hong Kong Development Institute (CUHK and Fudan University), and Associate Director of the Economic Research Centre, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, CUHK. He received two prestigious awards in the field of economics in China, namely, Sun YeFang Award of Economic Science (2009-10), and Award of the Pekang Chang Research Foundation of Development Economics (2009). 

He is Corresponding Editor of Asian Pacific Economic Literature, members of Editorial Boards of China Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal on Greater China, Asian-Pacific Journal of Business, and The Global Studies Journal, and also member of the Advisory Committee of China Economic Journal. In public service, he is member of Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies (2013 – present), of Expert Advisory Committee of the Institute of Free Trade Areas of Sun Yat-Sen University (2015 – present), Honorary Senior Research Fellow of Hong Kong Policy Research Institute and of Bauhinia Institute, Academic Advisor of Hong Kong Cultural Development Institute, and member of Advisory Committee of Citizen Action Design Limited.

John Mak is currently Program Director at Project Change. He is passionate about public affairs in Hong Kong and abroad, and co-founded two social initiatives in Myanmar. Prior to that, he has also worked at a Hong Kong-based think tank and a global communications agency. 
John sees himself as an effective bridge across different sectors, cultures, political affiliations and generations. He is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, an Asia 21 Young Leader by Asia Society and an inaugural Obama Foundation Scholar. He is also a former TEDx speaker.

John holds a Master's degree in public policy and international development from The University of Chicago, and a Bachelor's degree in politics, philosophy and economics from the University of Durham.

Dr. Alex Chan is Associate Professor of Counseling & Psychology at Shue Yan University where he is also Director of University Research, Director of Positive Psychology Laboratory and Associate Director of Industrial Attachment.  He received his B.A. in Sociology from HK Baptist University, M.A. & Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from University of Minnesota.  

Innovative Evidence-based Interventions for Reducing Childhood Aggression & School Bullying 
keynote – Dr. Annis Fung
response – Dr. Anna Hui

“Children with Aggressive Behaviour” was the research focus of my Ph.D. studies at HKU.  As  Principal Investigator at the City University of Hong Kong, different projects on reducing aggressive and bullying behaviour among children and youth led to the development of many innovative evidence-based interventions with diverse approaches: cognitive-behavioral approach, physio-moral approach (e.g. Chinese martial arts and ethics), neurobiological approach (e.g. omega-3 supplementation), social information-processing approach (e.g. storytelling), and the social learning approach (e.g. parenting efficacy and parental involvement).  The total benefiaries include 41,865 primary and secondary students and 3,817 students who are at high-risk of reactive and proactive aggression.  The long-term impact of the proposed innovative intervention will include considerable financial and social benefits by reducing the educational, medical, legal, and social costs resulting from  childhood aggression, school bullying, and peer victimization. 

Dr. Annis FUNG Lai Chu is Associate Professor in the Dept. of Social & Behavioral Sciences at City University of Hong Kong.  She received her PhD from the Department of Social Work & Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong. To date, she has received eight awards and honours in recognition of her outstanding research and teaching performance. Annis enjoys teaching on counselling-related courses, and won the Teaching Excellence Award in 2008-09. She has served as a programme leader of the MSS in Counselling since 2015. She is passionate about researching different approaches for reducing aggressive behaviour and peer victimisation among school children and adolescents. Her enthusiasm for this kind of research stems from her strong Christian faith.

She has won five international and local research awards, namely, the Research Impact Award; Outstanding Project Award; Hero Award: School-University Leader; Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Award; and the Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Certificate of Merit. These honours and awards are a testament to the abundant benefits and blessings her research has brought to frontline educators, social workers, psychologists, counsellors, parents, children and adolescents in Hong Kong and across the world. Annis has been appointed as a long-term staff trainer at the Hong Kong Police Force, Education Bureau and Social Welfare Department, and is a member of the Child Fatality Review Panel.

Dr. Anna Hui is currently Associate Professor in the Dept. of Social & Behavioral Sciences at City University of Hong Kong.  and also the coordinator of the BDSS First Year Experience at the Department of Social & Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. Research interests include creativity and innovation; motivation and self-regulation, gifted and creativity education, lifespan development in creativity. She also served as the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee of Reviewing the Curriculum Guide of Early Childhood Education, Curriculum Development Council of the Education Bureau, HKSAR.

Science, Religion & Faith Track – 9:40-12:40

The Surprising Things That Models Don’t Tell Us - Dr. Mike Brownnutt 

Models are ubiquitous in science; from models of viruses spreading in a population, to models of electrons moving in a metal, or models of mutations accumulating in a gene. Models are undeniably powerful tools, allowing us to get a qualitative, quantitative, and predictive handle on the phenomena we see. Nonetheless, models have some logical, albeit counterintuitive, limitations. Among these limitations is that models – even successful models – do not, and cannot, tell us anything whatsoever about the nature of the world in which we live. Drawing illustrations from physical, economic, sociological, and biological models, this talk will consider the significant, though often uncomfortable, implications that this has for our engagement with science and religion. 

Mike Brownnutt obtained his first Master’s degree (MSci in physics) and his PhD (in experimental quantum mechanics) from Imperial College London, UK. Following this he moved to Innsbruck, Austria, for eight years, firstly as a post-doctoral researcher and later as an Assistant Professor. He wrote his habilitation based on his research there, which centered on developing scalable architectures for quantum computers. He completed his second Master’s degree (MA in theology, University of Chester, UK) considering how faith is understood by various parties in discourse on the relationship between Christianity and science. Since 2015 he has worked at the University of Hong Kong, where he is Associate Director of the Faith and Science Collaborative Research Forum. His research now focusses on the engagement between science and religion, particularly in Asian contexts. In his spare time, he is doing a PhD in philosophy (University of Birmingham, UK) looking at scientific and religious quasi-objects. 

The Origin of Humanity & Evolution: Science & Scripture in Conversation
keynote - Dr. Andrew Loke
response - Rev. Vincent Chan

A summary and review of Andrew Loke’s The Origin of Humanity and Evolution: Science and Scripture in Conversation (T&T Clark, 2022)’.

Dr Andrew Loke is Associate Professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University. After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Dr Loke worked as a medical doctor for 7 years. He then completed his M.A in philosophy at Biola University and Ph.D. in Theology at King’s College London. He has published multiple books with world-leading academic publishers in peer-reviewed monograph series in the fields of theology, philosophy of religion, historical-critical New Testament studies, and science and religion. These include The Origins of Divine Christology (Cambridge University Press), A Kryptic Model of the Incarnation (Routledge), Investigating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Routledge), God and Ultimate Origins (Springer Nature), The Teleological and Kalam Cosmological Arguments Revisited (Springer Nature), The Origin of Humanity: Science and Theology in Conversation (T&T Clark), and Evil, Sin and Christian Theism (Routledge). In addition, he has published numerous articles in leading international peer-reviewed journals such as Religious Studies (Cambridge University Press) and Journal of Theological Studies (Oxford University Press).

Reverend Vincent Chan is deeply committed to academics and charitable work. Before moving back to Hong Kong to minister at a large international church, Vincent earned a Bachelor degree in Actuarial Science from Texas A&M University. He then received a Master of Divinity from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2019. He is now a PhD candidate focusing on the study of Science and Religion at Hong Kong Baptist University, where he also serves as a member of the Senate and committee member of multiple academic taskforces. Vincent is also currently a visiting doctoral researcher at Faraday Institute for Science & Religion, University of Cambridge. Vincent is a founding executive committee member of The Society for Science and Religion in Asia (SSRA). As well as his academic endeavors, he is the associate pastor of Hosanna church, a board director of the Tuen Mun District Christian Churches Union, and the non-executive director of YWAM Gateway (Youth with a Mission).

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